Students who attend inclusive postsecondary programs will be enrolled in a variety of courses. Being successful in college courses means identifying your interests and choosing relevant classes, managing your time well to meet due dates and deadlines, practicing good study habits, and advocating for the support you need to be most successful.
Students can start practicing these skills while they are still in high school to help them prepare for college. Click the dropdown links below to explore additional information and resources related to preparing for college classes.
Talk with your teacher about accommodations that may benefit you. These may include where you sit in the classroom, technology that reads text out loud, and having a peer note-taker or tutor. In college, you will need to advocate for these accommodations.
Resources:
Classroom Accommodations (Understood)
Consider whether you want to disclose your disability to friends and instructors when you get to college. Learn more about what it means to disclose your disability and how you access accommodations. If you choose to disclose your disability, preview the disability disclosure guide at showmecollege.com for help on who to tell and how to tell them.
Resources:
Learn and practice study habits that will help you be successful in your classes. Pay attention, take notes, ask questions, turn homework in on time, and prepare for exams. You can also use phone apps to help you such as myHomework, Habitica, or BeFocused.
Resources:
Habitica (iOS and Android)
Be focused (iOS)
Take time to explore your interests so that you can select college courses that align with your goals. Enroll in a variety of courses that will help you graduate and meet college entrance requirements. Talk with your counselor to make sure you are taking the courses you need for college. Consider electives that match your interests or explore new subjects.
Resources:
In college, you will need to advocate for what you need. A great way to start practicing self-advocacy is in your IEP meeting. Talk to your teacher about taking a leadership role in your next IEP meeting. Ask your teacher or family members to help you prepare for the meeting.
Resources:
Brooke is going to college and has found that there are a lot of supports to help her succeed. From an academic coach to e-tutoring, and from getting campus tours to support from her resident assistant – or RA – Brooke has a network that will help her navigate through her courses and the opportunities that campus life brings.
In college, David learned that he loves science after he took astronomy classes, attended weekly Astronomy Club meetings, and mentored high school students enrolled in the classes. When he wasn’t busy studying stars, David participated in his campus Enactus student organization, helping to solve community problems through entrepreneurship. His goal is to teach science.
Before college, Mariel spoke mostly in quick phrases and had a hard time focusing. While in her college program she excelled at theatre and art classes, and her attention to detail grew. By the end of her program, Mariel spoke in full sentences, created powerful presentations for classes, and had learned to play piano. She has continued piano lessons and performance recitals after graduation, as well as her volunteer position with a local senior center.
Click the links below to find specific information about learning on campus at each of the four inclusive postsecondary programs in Missouri:
